Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Is impeachment criminal or civil?

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It makes a difference. As we move close to the historic impeachment trial of the state’s top prosecutor, a major question for those involved is whether the proceedings Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faces are criminal or civil. A criminal … Continue reading →

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The bookstores’ view of the book rating lawsuit

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some useful context from one of the plaintiffs in that lawsuit challenging a new “book rating” law. When Valerie Koehler bought Blue Willow Bookshop, she wanted to offer an expansive selection of children’s books. “We made it our mission to … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s lawyers seek to dismiss most impeachment charges

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

They’re defense lawyers, it’s what they do. Lawyers for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton requested Monday that all but one of 20 articles of impeachment be dismissed, arguing his removal would “override the will of the people” who elected him … Continue reading →

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More criticism of HISD’s library policies

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t going away. Prominent Houston political and faith leaders on Monday denounced Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ plan to convert some libraries into discipline centers, adding to the growing chorus of critics opposing the change. Members of Congress, Houston … Continue reading →

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Federal judge temporarily blocks Arkansas book censorship law

Posted on August 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully a good omen. On Saturday, a federal judge in Arkansas temporarily blocked a new law that would have allowed local prosecutors to file felony charges against school and public librarians who loaned out material considered considered “harmful to minors.” The law—which also … Continue reading →

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July 2023 campaign finance reports: City of Houston, part 4

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: Congress SD15 City of Houston, part 1 Harris County City of Houston, part 2 City of Houston, part 3 January finance reports for city of Houston candidates are here. This post will look at the Controller candidates. I’ll have … Continue reading →

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Will Dallas join the Death Star litigation?

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It remains to be seen. Council members Chad West and Adam Bazaldua told The Dallas Morning News that they know of no plans as of Thursday for Dallas to get involved in the legal challenge of HB 2127, but both … Continue reading →

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A brief Nate Paul update

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you who like this sort of thing. You know who you are. The Texas Supreme Court denied an appeal on Friday by indicted real estate developer Nate Paul to reverse a judgment against him worth millions of … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 30

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

“The ocean is turning green. Yes, it’s climate change.” “A Mysterious Object in Deep Space Has Blinked Every 22 Minutes for Over 30 Years”. “One Georgia County Perfectly Demonstrates The Republican Party’s Dramatic About-Face On Mail-In Voting”. “It is never … Continue reading →

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The Trib on the “political dominoes” of the Mayor’s race

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of what’s in here is stuff we already know. I want to focus on this bit from later on: “I think both Whitmire and Jackson Lee are kind of institutions in town, so the fact that there could … Continue reading →

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The stunning arrogance of Team Paxton

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Even for a cynic like me, this is breathtaking. Rep. Jeff Leach was “pissed off.” He had just found out that Ken Paxton wanted $3.3 million to settle a lawsuit with a group of whistleblowers who’d accused him of corruption … Continue reading →

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The traffic signal control cabinet mural program is back

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of cool news from the inbox: The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) is proud to announce that its signature Traffic Signal Control Cabinet Mural Program is back in operation after a one-year hiatus. The program, also known … Continue reading →

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First (and hopefully only) sore loser election contest lawsuit begins Tuesday

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

What a slog this has been. Republicans who have spent the past nine months questioning Harris County’s November elections will have their day in court Tuesday when the first of 21 lawsuits aimed at overturning the results will go to … Continue reading →

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HPD releases its official report on the AstroWorld tragedy

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Read it and see for yourself. They looked like rag dolls, Reece Wheeler thought. One by one, the Astroworld Festival coordinator watched from the command center as unconscious Travis Scott fans’ were crowd-surfed out of the mosh pit and dumped … Continue reading →

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Colorado to return to the Big XII

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about to be the Big XIII, not that they will ever call it that, nor stay at that number. But it’s my blog and I can call it as I see it. The University of Colorado will leave the … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner criticizes HISD’s library removals

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday blasted Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ plan to close dozens of school libraries and turn them into discipline rooms, alleging it was targeted at “selected communities.” In an impassioned speech at City Council, … Continue reading →

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The long line of shitty people who prop up Ken Paxton

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There’s no end to these assholes. Hours before the Texas House overwhelmingly voted to impeach Ken Paxton in May, a well-funded supporter of the attorney general issued a threat to his fellow Republicans. A vote to impeach Paxton, Jonathan Stickland … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, July 28 edition

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week in news from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, we have a grab bag of news on regular beats: ransomware, Collin County’s favorite hometown … Continue reading →

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July 2023 campaign finance reports: City of Houston, part 3

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: Congress SD15 City of Houston, part 1 Harris County City of Houston, part 2 January finance reports for city of Houston candidates are here. This post will look at the various district candidates. I’ll do the Controller’s race and … Continue reading →

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Booksellers sue over new book rating law

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

These lawsuits, they are starting to pile up. A coalition of Texas bookstores and national bookseller associations filed suit on Tuesday over House Bill 900, which aims to ban sexually explicit material from school libraries. HB 900 passed in the … Continue reading →

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What does Mike Miles have against libraries?

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I do not care for this. Superintendent Mike Miles, appointed in June by the Texas Education Agency to lead Houston ISD, will eliminate librarians and media specialists from the 28 campuses under his New Education System and an additional 57 aligned schools that opted … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 24

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance says “Hodwy, y’all” as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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UH-Hobby Center poll: Whitmire 34, Jackson Lee 32

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have plenty to say about this. State Sen. John Whitmire and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee would be neck-and-neck for first place if the Houston mayor’s race were held today, but Whitmire would sprint ahead in a potential runoff, … Continue reading →

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San Antonio joins Houston’s “Death Star” lawsuit

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome aboard, there’s plenty of room for more. After weeks of complaints from council members who say the law’s vagueness is preventing them from doing their jobs, San Antonio leaders said Monday that the city has joined a lawsuit filed by the … Continue reading →

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The Lone Star Rail idea never truly dies

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, it is a good idea, even if the obstacles seem to be impossible. San Antonio and Austin, two of the fastest-growing U.S. cities, sit just 80 miles apart. That’s too close for regular flights and just far enough … Continue reading →

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“Parental rights” for me but not for thee

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what the anti-trans ban on gender-affirming care is all about. Gov. Greg Abbott and state lawmakers have used variations of the phrase “parental rights” this year to push a litany of legislation, with varying degrees of success. They’ve vowed to empower Texas … Continue reading →

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The Harris Health System data breach

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

While a lot of the cybersecurity incidents that I’ve been tracking here could have been prevented by the entities that suffered them, this is an exception. And also a reminder. Patient information was exposed in a cyberattack that affected the Harris Health … Continue reading →

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Justice Department files that promised lawsuit over the Texas river wall

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what happens next that really matters. The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday it is suing Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott after the state declined to remove the floating barrier deployed earlier this month on the Rio Grande near Eagle … Continue reading →

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July 2023 campaign finance reports: City of Houston, part 2

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: Congress SD15 City of Houston, part 1 Harris County January finance reports for city of Houston candidates are here. This post will look at the various At Large candidates. I’ll do the district races and the Controller’s race later. … Continue reading →

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Steven Hotze enters the impeachment chat

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wait, what? Houston conservative activist Steve Hotze filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the gag order issued by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, arguing the policy violates free speech protections under the Texas Constitution. In … Continue reading →

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Feds to sue over Abbott’s river wall

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but you’ll forgive me if I keep my expectations low. The Department of Justice is ready to sue Gov. Greg Abbott over the floating buoy barrier he deployed in the Rio Grande to block migrants from crossing the river from Mexico … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 23

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

“Cult films are the lifeblood of so many cinephiles, and imagining a world without them points to a bleak and sanitized existence. Ross has a point. Streaming apps have become one of the dominant methods of consuming entertainment, effectively killing … Continue reading →

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A different kind of campaign finance violation

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The July reporting period sure has been eventful. Mayoral hopefuls state Sen. John Whitmire and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee have accepted campaign donations from city contractors during prohibited periods, breaking a Houston ordinance designed to limit donors’ influence at … Continue reading →

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The Brandon Cammack files

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The impeachment trial of Ken Paxton may help answer some questions about one of the more brazen (alleged) attempts by Paxton to help his buddy Nate Paul. More than a year before Ken Paxton would be impeached by the Texas … Continue reading →

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